A life outside of Football: A look at a few Multi-Dimensional Tottenham stars

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Throughout the years, Tottenham has fostered a consortium for some of the greatest talents to have gone on to become household names. Irrespective of their unparalleled aptitudes, many of these players could have succeeded in other fields outside of a footballing profession.

Here are a few lesser-known facts about a few of these world-beaters that are worth exploring.

Harry Kane, an accomplished golfer

The footballing celestial that is Harry Kane is not just a talented striker, but he is also an accomplished golfer. He reportedly has a handicap of six, which is mightily impressive, considering he has only been playing golf for a few years.

Harry himself has expressed that he would have pursued a career in golf, barring his obsession with the beautiful game.

2. Eric the bilingual

Dier’s family moved to Portugal when he was only a mere tot. He spent pretty much the entirety of his childhood and adolescence in Lisbon, where he played for Sporting’s younger faculties. Here, his love for the game grew exponentially.

A young Eric sought it best to teach himself Portuguese to effectively communicate with his peers.

This diversified experience sculpted his dynamic style of play and gifted him the unique perspective he has on the game today.

Dier’s father, Jeremy Dier, was a professional tennis player who had competed in the Davis Cup for Great Britain. Eric, who is also a fan of tennis, once admitted to considering following in his father’s footsteps.

In 2018, Dier launched his very own esports team called “Dexerto,” which competes in FIFA tournaments.

He is an avid advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken publicly about his personal struggles with anxiety.

3. Bolt Heung-Ming

As a child, Son was a talented track and field athlete who had won several medals in sprinting events. The forward’s relentless progress is owed to his father, who instilled within him the mentality of the ideal professional from a tender age.

Son Woong-jung – nicknamed ‘Dad Heung-min’ – was a footballer who played as a forward for South Korea’s B team, before injuries derailed his career at 28.

Son was born exactly two years later, growing up in the city of Chuncheon, 50 miles northeast of Seoul.

Woong’s training techniques were terrifyingly rigorous and demanding, reaching obsessive proportions. Sonny was expected to practice on a dirt pitch adjacent to their home every day, constantly being reminded that true mastery of one’s technical abilities secured a path to long-lasting success.

Son’s once-held fantasies of ‘becoming’ a track athlete were quickly relinquished. Football slowly festered about his livelihood, consuming his life.

4. Hugo, the mad scientist

Beyond his footballing talents protrudes a character that resonates seamlessly with classical music and the finer arts. Hugo is an admirer of Beethoven and is a trained pianist.

He began playing the piano at a young age and has continued to do so throughout his eventful life. Lloris once played a rendition of the French national anthem during an interview with French media, thoroughly impressing the interviewers.

The Spurs captain was keen to reveal how tennis was actually his first choice while growing up in the south of France.

He was highly rated as one of France’s best young tennis players, but hung up his racquet when he was 13 to concentrate on football.

Hugo’s undiluted passion for education and learning earned him a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from the University of Nice Sophia Antipolis in France. He balanced his studies whilst playing for club outfits OGC Nice, even writing his dissertation on sports science.

His thinking capacity may seem questionable on the field of play due to a few erroneous decisions, but let it not be confused with his abilities off the pitch.

5. Emerson, Royal by nature

For starters, the lad’s real name is not Royal. His actual name is Emerson Aparecido Leite de Souza Junior. He was given the name Royal by his aunt, being that he was a devoted howler. His eyes pulsated from their sockets, and his mouth enlarged.

His mother even confessed to believing that his insufferable crying by nature altered his destiny. Royal as a title conveys possessing the status of a King. It is common knowledge that Kings are expected to be both decisive and courageous, two unique qualities that are readily identifiable in Emerson – irrespective of the inherent dangers.

A nickname that has surely helped to mold Souza’s personality.

It is even a tad crazier to believe that Emerson’s true reason for completely immersing his life in football, was as a result of his cousin’s insistent need to demolish him at every given chance in their backyard.

At the time his cousin repeatedly dribbled his life, the youngster knew very little about handling a ball. Pledging his total commitment to the game, young Emerson received a stroke of luck when he was called by a small team in his neighborhood.

He enrolled in a footballing project known only as Candor – located in central Sao Paulo. From there on, Royal moved up the ranks to Unidos da Cordenonsi, where he further honed his once unknown, dormant abilities.

Outside of an illustrious footballing career, Emerson enjoys dancing and a bit of acting.

Come to think of it, I for one am grateful that his cousin made it his point of duty to embarrass him whenever possible.

For as it stands, history could have progressed differently.